


Sticks And Stones

by Tonystarkisaslut



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Eating Disorders, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:40:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22349680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tonystarkisaslut/pseuds/Tonystarkisaslut
Summary: This is gonna be two parts now, because people on tumblr actually liked this lol.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 18
Kudos: 189





	1. Chapter 1

Peter smiles.

He puts on the 3 piece, perfectly tailored, more-expensive-than-May’s-apartment suits. He goes to the Galas with Tony. He stays on his arm. He chats up the important people and the smart people and the rich people. And he smiles.

Even though it hurts.

Because even though Peter is dressed the part and wearing cologne that costs more than his car and he has gel in his hair that is more expensive than his computer, everyone knows. He’s just playing dress up.

He’s in daddy’s shoes and tie. He’s a toddler trying to be just like his daddy. He’s cute. But that’s all.

No, Peter Parker isn’t rich, at least by birth, and therefore he’s an outcast.

But he smiles. He plays nice. He pretends not to hear it.

“Jesus, could Stark go any lower? I mean, look at that kid. Ugliest piece of trailer-trash I’ve ever seen.”

“I mean, I’m just saying, I get wanting to go for younger. But is that boy even out of diapers yet? Setting himself up for a gold digger is what’s happening.”

“That pathetic mongrel. I can’t believe Tony willing touches such a creature! I heard that he used to dumpster dive for old tech no one wanted!”

“If I knew Stark’s standards were ‘young’ only, I would sent my daughter after him. She’s not quite as good looking as her mother, but apparently that doesn’t matter to him.”

Peter smiles. He lets Tony dress him up. He lets Tony treat him like arm candy at galas and fundraisers and rich parties.

But he doesn’t fool himself. He knows that even though Tony treats him like this, he isn’t actually arm candy. He isn’t a trophy wife. He isn’t beautiful.

He’s ugly. He’s poor. He’s a pathetic excuse for a boyfriend of the richest man in the world.

He tells himself that every time he looks in the mirror. Which isn’t often anymore, because he can’t stand to look at how ugly he is.

He doesn’t listen to Tony’s pillow talk; it’s just pillow talk. He’s only with Peter because he’s young; but he can’t be young forever. Tony will find someone younger, someone prettier. He doesn’t listen to Tony.

No, the only thing he’s good for is his youth, that’s what matters. That’s why Tony touches him. That’s why Tony uses him. Because he’s as young as legal gets. Because Tony has been attracted to him since before he was legal. Peter isn’t sexy, the idea of him is. At least, to Tony.

“My, Mr. Parker, what a lovely suit you have on. What did you have to do for it, a blowie?” The woman sneers, taking another sip of what’s probably the 5th Bloody Mary of her night.

Peter smiles. He hides his pain behind his eyes and forces himself to be polite. He talks about who made the suit, who tailored it. He doesn’t talk about Tony.

“Tony is a saint, I’ll tell you that. I wouldn’t put something so expensive on something as dirty and ugly as you in a million years!” She laughs shrilly, loud enough to cause people nearest to turn their heads to look.

Peter clears his throat, trying not to cry. “Yes, I’m a very lucky man, to have Tony.”

She snorts. “Oh honey, don’t kid yourself. You’re just a stupid kid from the streets of Queens.” She spits the name out. “You don’t have Tony. You’re just a toy for him to play with until you get too old and ugly for even him. Although I’m starting to think he must be blind, to think you aren’t as disgusting as you are to begin with.”

“Yes, well.” Peter takes a step back, trying to ignore the snickers from nearby eavesdroppers. “I think I need to find the men’s room.” He says and walks as quickly as he dares to the bathrooms.

He makes sure no one else is in there before locking the door, and turning the faucet on. He curls into a ball on the floor, shaking and sobbing as quietly as he can.

When he’s sure he’s been in here longer than enough time for Tony to come looking for him, he gets up, wiping his nose on his $70,000 suit. He sniffs, going to the sinks and washing his face. He dries it with a paper towel. He checks to make sure it doesn’t look like he’s been crying before finally going back out.

He slots himself up next to Tony, fighting a wince as the older man places his hand on Peter’s lower back. Just a sex toy.

“And this is Peter, he’s my boy. I’ve been talking about you all night,” Tony says, not taking his eyes off the person he’s talking to.

Peter doesn’t miss the disgusted glare he’s sent. He doesn’t miss the way Tony ignores it. He doesn’t miss the way the man looks back to Tony, continuing the conversation as if Peter didn’t show up at all.

Peter smiles.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony doesn’t understand. I mean how can Peter, his sexy, beautiful, handsome, perfect baby boy look at himself and see anything other than pure perfection?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of self-harm, bullying, ed’s, self-confidence issues, self-hatred, age difference, angsty. Also I switch POVs sometimes.

Peter doesn’t want to celebrate his 18th birthday. 18 means he’s officially older than as young as legal can get, which means Tony won’t want him for much longer.

He’s tried so many things to make himself more appealing. He’s put on makeup. He’s done more exercise than usual. He beat up more people than usual.

It only makes things worse.

“Why does that Parker kid think he needs to be so big? Jesus, hes fucking ugly.”

“He needs to be skinnier, is what he needs.”

“Doesn’t that kid know he’s a dumb twink? He needs to lose the muscle and the fat.”

“Ew. That make up and that body? Disgusting!”

It made it _so_ much worse.

Peter starts doing something he swore he never would. He swore he would never get this bad.

He starts to not eat. He starts doing cardio and core only, not focusing on muscle training. His goal is to eat just enough to stay alive.

The ache is always _there_ though. It always _hurts_ , and he’s weak and he’s shaking all the damn time. He knows he’s scaring Tony, but he can’t stop. He can’t.

~

Tony hums, taking off Peter’s shirt and pretending he isn’t extremely worried by what he sees.

Peter’s ribs are visible. And he has no abs anymore. He looks like a poster boy for malnutrition, and his skin is gray and-

He’s fucking worried, okay? But he can’t tell Peter. Because he _knows_. He knows that when Rhodes told him to stop hurting himself, he only hugged the toilet more often, only added more scars to his collection.

“You’re so beautiful,” He whispers into Peter’s skin. He’s lying. Peter isn’t beautiful like this; he looks like he’s _dying_ like this. And Tony doesn’t know what to _do_.

“I love you, Peter,” he says, and he means that one. He means it so much. He kisses Peter’s neck, kisses away the tears on Peter’s face. “You’re mine, all mine. No one else matters, Peter. You’re _mine_ , isn’t that right?”

“Yes, yes Tony!” Peter cries, arching into his touch.

Tony hums. “I’m the only person you should think about. I’m the only person who’s opinion matters. I’m the only one you should try and be sexy for, isn’t that right?”

Peter sobs and nods. “Yes! Yes Tony, please get inside me already!”

~

Peter knows Tony is lying. He knows when Tony calls him beautiful, he’s fucking _lying_.

It breaks Peter’s fucking heart.

He isn’t good enough, he _still_ isn’t good enough! Even after everything he’s done, it’s just- it isn’t enough.

He knows Tony will leave him soon. He _knows_ he will. Because Peter is ugly and he’s getting older and why the hell would Tony stay with him?

~

Tony throws him a giant birthday party.

He thinks, maybe it’ll cheer Peter up.

But Peter was sulking the entire time. Or, not sulking. He was trying his best to pretend to be happy. He’s just… not.

Tony decides he can’t do it, anymore. He’s risking it getting worse; he feels like it can’t get any worse.

~

A couple days after the party, Tony sits Peter down. And Peter _knows_. This is where Tony dumps him.

“Peter, we need to talk,” he says.

Peter looks at his lap, breathing heavily. “Okay… I…”

Tony kisses Peter’s cheek. “I love you, Peter, you know that right?”

Peter sighs and leans back. “Don’t lie to me.”

Tony makes a face, eyes going wide. “Peter! I’m not lying to you. I _love_ you. I have loved you, ever since-“

“Event since I was 14, I know. When you met me and saw how young I was and-“

Tony gasps. “No! No, I fell in love with you after you said ‘When you can do the things that I can, but you don’t, and the bad things happen, they happen because of you.’ That’s why I fell in love with you, that’s why I still love you. Because you’re such a _good_ person.”

Peter tears up, eyes wide with surprise and vulnerability. “You-“

“Peter, you’re _good_. You’re fucking such a good person, and it blows me away every single day. You are pure, and caring, and selfless. You throw yourself into situations you shouldn’t because you know you _have_ to. You’re hilarious and you make me laugh every day. You’re wicked smart, maybe even smarter than I am. Peter, I _love_ you. Everything about you. Why would you ever think otherwise?”

Peter can’t speak for like ten minutes, lower lip wobbling as his breath comes and goes in shallow, quick pants. “I… everyone says I’m so ugly and… and you only like me because I’m young.”

Tony pulls Peter into his lap. “Peter, honey. Before you started hurting yourself, you were the prettiest person on the entire planet. Everything about you. Your body, your face, your hair. Your gorgeous fucking eyes. Your cheeks and your lips, your cute little nose.” He kisses Peter’s temple. “Baby, you’ve always been perfect for me. It’s killing me, seeing you destroy yourself. All your muscles going away, seeing you skip meals, being able to count your _ribs_. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I can’t stand seeing you hurt yourself.”

Peter sobs, clinging to Tony. “You r-r-really mean it?”

Tony nods, kissing Peter softly. “Let me help you. Let us make you healthy again, please baby. Don’t hurt yourself anymore.”

Peter sobs, nodding quickly. Maybe… maybe everything will be okay after all. Maybe if Tony keeps telling him all those things, it’ll be okay. Maybe if he gets healthy again. Maybe…


End file.
